Souper Sick

New Years Eve I received the wonderful gift of a raging flu! Yay me! Apparently a bunch of my friends all over San Diego did too. It was the same thing, it came right after midnight and was immediate. Cough, runny nose, achey body.. blah. I needed soup stat! My go to soup that always makes me feel better is Spicy Tom Yum soup. My friend and I found Amarin Thai in Hillcrest open on New Years day and it did help.

But, I needed more! I decided to make up my own at home tonight. Excellent for leftovers or to bring to my other sicky friends. I wanted something spicy yet chicken soupish. Spicy always makes me feel better when I am sick. I decided to use a lot of antioxidant veggies to help with a speedy recovery. I used 2 kosher bone in chicken breast. I am a white meat girl, but you can use whatever chicken parts you want just be sure they are bone in it adds depth to any soup. I always eyeball ingredients based on how much broth so you can add or subtract the veggies as needed. Chop the veggies so it can fit on a spoon.

This came out excellent and I feel better already!

Get Well Sicky Chicky Soup

2 slices of chopped up bacon (or fat of your choice e.g. olive oil, bacon, chicken fat,)
2 Bone in skin on Chicken Breasts
Season the chicken with garlic powder, cumin powder, paprika, chili powder, salt & pepper (rub it in good)
1  yellow onion, chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 heads of garlic, peel whole cloves
1 Bell Pepper chopped (I used green)
1 large or 2 small chopped jalapeno's, i left it seeded for kick
2 -4 oz cans green chili's (I used fire roasted)
1 teaspoon cumin seed
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 cartons of organic free range chicken broth (low sodium)
1 teaspoon dried oregeno

1- can organic fire roasted tomato's with green chili

1 tablespoon Adobo plus one chopped chipolte pepper (comes in can of chipolte packed in adobo)
1 1/2 cups carrots large chopped ( I found these great red carrots at the farmers market)
1/3 cup Trader Joes frozen leeks (optional)
1 package crimini mushroom, cleaned and halved or quartered
2 small Zuccini's
1 package of chopped fresh cilantro
1 large hand full of fresh parsley
Sliced avocado for garnish

In a large non stick or Le Creuset pot brown the chopped bacon add fat as needed

Place the seasoned chicken breast skin side down and brown on high, rotating  as necessary, you are trying to maximize flavor here so it's an important step. Add the onion, around sides of chicken, brown with chicken a minute or 2. Add garlic, celery, bell pepper, and jalapeno.  Brown 2-3 minutes more. Add green chili's, cumin seeds and chili pepper flakes and brown 1 more minute. Add 2 cartons of broth, oregano, and tomatoes, cover and bring to a boil. Cut the carrots while waiting for the boil. Add carrots once it comes to rolling boil. Salt the soup to taste. Cover and simmer over medium heat for 20 minutes.

While the soup is boiling chop/prep the herbs, zucchini, and mushrooms. Add the chipolte/adobo, mushrooms, zucchini, leeks, and fresh herbs and boil 10 minutes more. Remove chicken to cutting board  and with 2 forks shred the chicken and chop to fit spoon. Return boneless chopped chicken to pot. Taste and adjust salt as needed. Serve garnished with avocado to cut the heat and FEEL THE BURN!!

Oh yeah that flu is getting it's ass kicked!